Jamie Dwyer and Sardar Singh named Hockey India League Brand Ambassadors

Hockey India today presented five-time FIH World Player of the Year Jamie Dwyer and India’s ace centre-half Sardar Singh as Brand Ambassadors for the Hockey India League besides unveiling a vibrant logo for the six-team, 33-match event that is due to start on January 5, 2013

Hockey India Secretary-General and Hockey India League Chairman Dr. Narinder Batra said he was excited that Hockey India’s vision of setting up the world’s best league rolling was coming true. “It is an immense honour for Hockey India League to have players of the calibre of Jamie Dwyer and Sardar Singh as Brand Ambassadors,” he said.

“We are moving full speed towards establishing Hockey India League as the world’s biggest hockey league. The enormous interest among players, both at home and overseas, should give everyone a fair idea about the quality of contests that we will see in the Hockey India League. The League will help players across the world and raise the standard of our game.”

Union Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Rajeev Shukla, who is on the Advisory Council of Hockey India League and was the Chief Guest at the launch today, said it was significant that the International Hockey Federation (FIH) has created a window for the Hockey India League. “It  is our collective responsibility to ensure hockey regains space in the collective consciousness of the nation,” he said.

The 33-year- old Jamie Dwyer, who has been part of Australian teams which won the Olympic Games gold, the FIH World Championship, five Champions Trophy tournaments and three Commonwealth Games gold medals, said it was a privilege to be named a Brand Ambassador for the Hockey India League.

“I have always enjoyed playing in India and have looked to make hockey an attractive proposition for the youngsters,” he said. “Hockey India League is an excellent step in that direction not only for the Indian players but also for those from elsewhere. More importantly, the widely-broadcast League will give our sport a wonderful profile and I am delighted to be a part.”

India’s centre-half 26-year-old Sardar Singh, picked in the FIH All-Star Teams two years in succession and Player of the Tournament at the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup in 2010 and 2012, said he felt humble at being given the enormous responsibility of being a Brand Ambassador for the Hockey India League.

“From the Indian players’ perspective, I can say that on the one hand the League promises to ensure financial security while on the other, many young Indian players will get great exposure playing with and against some of the world’s best hockey players,” he said. “It will give them a platform to make a claim for the Indian team while increasing their confidence.”

Speaking about the logo, Dr Batra said its simplicity would bring along a high recall value. “Conceptualised and designed by Meridian Communication, Mumbai, the logo reflects speed, power and evolution, essential elements in the League. The graphic makes up a part of the letter L and has a hockey stick striking a ball while the line leading to the stick denotes action, essential to represent a fast, powerful game,” Dr. Batra said.

“The colours have been carefully chosen, with blue dominating the logo to give it a feeling of the openness and vastness of the sky. Pink is a playful, young color to represent the vibrant energy of the youth and the young at heart while yellow represents the radiating sun and speaks of hockey’s rising power,” he said.

Mr Rajat Sharma, Chairman and Managing Director, India TV, who is also an Hockey India League Advisory Council member, said he was confident that the league will play a big role in the revival of India’s hockey fortunes.

Sahara India, Jaypee Group, Patel-Uniexcel Group and Wave Group have already taken up the Lucknow, Punjab, Ranchi and Delhi franchises of Hockey India League. The names of the other two franchisees will be made known well before next month’s Hockey India League Players Auction. The well-established ESPN Star Sports network has the broadcast rights and will beam the 33 matches live.

Hockey India League Factsheet

A key step initiated by Hockey India to ensure that the sport regains its popular base and attracts more youngsters to watch and play hockey.

Will help raise the profile of the game among India’s youth since it will ensure financial security for the players

Will also enable the young players gain experience of playing with and against international stars.

HIL Brand Ambassadors

Will promote the Hockey India League

Will conduct coaching clinics

Will spread the message of hockey and help make the sport attractive to youngsters

Sardar Singh

26-year-old centre-half from Sant Nagar, Sirsa, Haryana

Hardworking and creative centre half

Named in the FIH All-Star Team in 2010 and 2011

A pivotal player for India over the past few years

Played close to 150 matches for India, scoring 12 goals

Player of the Tournament at the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup in 2010 and 2012.

Jamie Dwyer

33-year-old from Rockhampton, Queensland, Australia

Five-time FIH Player of the Year

Winner of Olympic Games gold, FIH World Championship, five Champions Trophy, three Commonwealth Games gold

Selected to FIH All-Star Teams six times

Played more than 250 matches for Australia, scoring more than 170 goals

Ploughing back into hockey by thinking of ways to increase the game’s appeal from the ground up

Hockey India League Logo

Simple and has a high recall value

Will engage India’s vibrant youth

Symbolises speed, power and evolution

Definite hockey elements – a stick striking a ball

Carefully-chosen colours

Blue gives it a feeling of the openness and vastness of the sky

Pink is a playful, young color to represent the vibrant energy of the youth

Yellow represents the radiating sun and speaks of hockey’s rising power

Logo has been conceptualised and designed by Meridian Communication, Mumbai

Format of the tournament

Six teams will play on home-and-away basis before the Play-Offs with a total of 33 matches in 2013

The team topping the league will be rewarded with a place in the final

The teams finishing third and fourth will play the first Play Off game and the winner will meet the team finishing second in the League for a place in the final.

Enormous interest among players

Enormous interest among players and coaches around the world

There will be 144 players in six teams of 24 each

There will be a maximum of 10 overseas players in each team

90 Indian players, including all those who were part of the squad that played in the Olympic Games, have signed up for the Players Auction next month

Franchisees

Four franchises and venues identified

Sahara India – Lucknow

Jaypee Group – Punjab

Patel-Uniexcel Group – Ranchi

Wave Group – Delhi

Two other Franchisees will be revealed in the coming days

 Broadcast partner

ESPN Star Sports is the Broadcast Partner for five years

FIH support

Created a window for Hockey India League in January-February each year

Will help in the Technical conduct of the Hockey India League

It will give Indian umpires also excellent exposure.